While juicers are wonderful inventions, they're just not for everyone. Some people find them a bit too fussy to use and clean, or they simply don't have the real estate on their countertop.
No fear, as the humble blender can actually wear the "juicer" hat too if you pick the right one.
By choosing a blender over a juicer, you also have the added option of making smoothies, nut butter, dips, and salsas, which you can't do with a juicer.
Come with us as we find the best blenders for juicing in 2019, from the more expensive to the downright affordable.
Table of Contents
Juicing vs Blending, What’s the difference?
Juicing: juicing either crushes or spins the ingredients to extract the juice, depending on the type of juicer (masticating or centrifugal). Juicers gather the pulp and spit it out into a separate container from the juice. You don't need to add any liquids to a juicer, unlike a blender.
Blending: blenders use a blade that pulverizes foods as the motion of the blender moves the ingredients in a cyclonic motion. With a blender, you get all of the fiber, skins, and pith in your juice, as opposed to having them spat out as pulp. You have to add liquid to most blenders when making juice, otherwise, the ingredients will get stuck or gather up the sides of the cup as the blades spin.
What Do I Need to Take Into Consideration Before Buying a Blender for Juicing?
You need to be aware that the juice you get from a blender won't be the same as the juice you would get from a juicer. Personally, I actually love the pulpier, slightly thicker result from a blender. However, if you're not a fan of pulpy juice then just be aware that you may need to strain the juice in order to get rid of the pulp.
Also, consider these questions: do you want a personal blender to make juices just for you? Or do you require a larger blender with a pitcher for making larger batches? This will help you choose between a bullet blender (for one or two serves), or a pitcher blender (for 3 or more serves).
What Makes a Blender Good at Juicing Specifically?
In short, blenders are designed to turn solids into liquids, hard foods into soft ones, and combine multiple ingredients into a cohesive mixture. That's basically what juice is: fruit or veggies crushed or blitzed to release the juice to form a drinkable result. A good blender can do this, no probs.
The strong blades and the motion at which the blender pushes and pulls the ingredients toward and through the blades is what makes it good at juicing. Many modern blenders have super high speeds and very powerful motors, meaning fast and furious blending to render produce into juice... however pulpy.
This is where I should point out a key fact: If you're using any blender for juicing, you're going to have to do some straining if you want that pulp-free texture. If that's you, read on. If not, you need to start thinking about real juicers instead.
Which Blenders Are Not Good for Juicing and Why?
Blenders with low wattages and flimsier blades are not great for juicing. They're best for soft shakes and smoothies without too many hard ingredients. If you put ingredients such as apples, carrots or even citrus with the skin on, a weaker blender will just chop the ingredients, leaving you with a chunky mess.
The blenders which are designed for "nutrient extraction" and multi-tasking are the best blenders for juicing. They generally have the strongest blades and the highest wattages.
What are the Key Features to Look for? (And Which Features Don’t Matter So Much)
Super-strength wattage: don't compromise on the power of the motor. A wattage of 1000 or more is going to serve you very well, but 700 and up is also sufficient. Don't bother with anything below 700 because you'll find that it struggles with juicing harder fruits and veggies and you'll just get frustrated and the blender will gather dust.
Different speeds and setting options: this one isn't crucial, as many blenders have an automatic blending technology where the blender does the work for you. However, blenders that have juicing or ultra-blending buttons can also be really handy. This is especially good if you want your blender to be a multi-tasker and you can make juices as well as smoothies, dips and other things with varying chunkiness.
Powerful, tough blades: this one is absolutely crucial for blenders intended for juicing. In order for the fruits and veggies to be chopped and blitzed enough for the juices to be maximized and the solids are broken down enough, the blades must be up to the task. Anything boasting "aircraft-grade" in terms of blades is ideal. Luckily, most blenders that are made for nutrient extraction and ice-crushing have been designed with a focus on the strength of the blades.
High-end Options
These two are from well-known and much-loved brands. You guessed it. They're a Blendtec and a Vitamix blender. They're known for their power and multi-tasking abilities. They are expensive, yes, but they're great at making fresh juices as well as most other things you can think of.
#1 High-end: Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender
It's no surprise that this is a pretty expensive machine. However, it has been designed for professional use in juice bars and cafes.
This is achieved with the colossal power, 1560 watts, with a 3.0 peak horsepower motor. This is more than enough to easily blast through fruits and vegetables to create a smooth juice without overpowering the motor or causing jams.
The blade has been made to be 80% thicker than most other blender blades, so it can obliterate hard veggies and fruits in the juicing process. It even has a pre-programmed mode especially for "whole juices".
It can do everything from making smoothies to blending hot soup to crushing ice and making nut butter. If your old blender has hit the wall and you need an all-rounder which can double as a juicer then I would say this is a very worthy contender.
Top Features
- Super thick blades for handling all produce for juices
- Very powerful motor for handling all ingredients including pulverizing produce into juice
- Pre-programmed settings including one especially for "whole juice"
- 8-year warranty
- 1560 watts, with 3.0 peak horsepower motor (aka very, very powerful)
- 10 speeds
- Pulse button
#2 High-end: Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender
Another superstar, the Pro 750 Vitamix has the super-charged wattage (1200-1400 watts) and strong blades we need for successful juicing. The blades are made from aircraft-grade stainless steel and are designed to decimate hard, unyielding ingredients as well as the usual juicy suspects. It has a choice of 10 speeds as well as pre-set functions.
For juicing, ramping the speed up to 10 would be sufficient. It is expensive, but it is a multi-tasking appliance with which you can make juice, smoothies, purees, desserts, and hot soups. It even has a self-cleaning mode so you don't have to wrestle with pulpy messes (in theory).
Top Features
- Aircraft-grade stainless steel blades
- 1200-1400 watt motor
- 10 speeds
- Pre-programmed settings which you can use for juicing i.e. "puree" and "smoothie" will do the trick
- Self-cleaning mode
- The motor keeps cool even when blasting through hard produce for veggie juices
- If you like the idea but want to reduce the price you can get a reconditioned Vitamix too.
Mid-priced Options
These options are a little easier on the wallet but still pack a huge punch of power and juice-making ability.
#1 Mid-priced: NutriBullet RX
This is the most powerful NutriBullet out there. It has a pretty impressive wattage of 1700 and powerful blades. It has been chosen because of its powerful motor and automatic blending technology. It has been pre-programmed to start and pause on its own, for the best nutrient extraction and smoothness.
The most original thing about the RX is that it can also make soup by blitzing and heating vegetables for 7 minutes. This is a good feature, however, I have noticed a couple of customers say that their smoothies have ended up a little too warm. I don't know if this is due to a flaw or the machine has been used incorrectly, but most customers are thrilled with their smoothies and drinks.
Top Features
- 1700 watt motor for easily and thoroughly turning fruit and veggies into juice
- Comes with 2 short cups (30 oz) and 1 oversized cup (45 oz)
- SouperBlast Pitcher with lid (for making hot soups and sauces if you wish)
#2 Mid-priced: Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ Compact Blending System BL492
This is a very thorough blender with 6 different buttons for various blending needs. For juicing, the "extract" button combined with the "smooth boost" button is going to be the best option for making whole juices.
The "smooth blend" button basically results in a smoother drink. It comes with the expected cups, as well as a stainless steel cup for keeping drinks cold. But it also comes with a wide, bowl-shaped blending container which can be used for chopping veggies, making textured salsas or blitzing cookie dough.
The wattage is very decent at 1200, more than enough for making whole juices. I think this is a good option if you want your new appliance to go the distance for you and come in handy for more than just juices and smoothies.
Top Features
- 1200 watts of power for blending fruits and veggies to make juice
- Comes with a wide, bowl-shaped container for mixing dough, making salsas, chopping veggies, etc.
- Comes with a stainless-steel cup for keeping juices cold
- "Smooth boost" button for getting the smoothest results and thorough blends
- "Extract" button for maximum nutrient and juice extraction
Affordable Options
Now we reach the wallet-friendly blenders with friendly price tags and enough power and grunt to make whole juices on the cheap.
#1 Affordable: Aimores Professional Blender for Shakes and Smoothies
For such a low price, this Aimores blender sure does offer a lot. The 6-point, hardened stainless-steel blades and metal drives have been designed for ultra strength.
The blades can slice and pulverize hard produce easily to create whole juices, ice included if you wish, backed up by the generous 1100 watt motor. Considering the fact that this blender can grind coffee, spices, and make frozen desserts, juicing all kinds of produce is easy work.
I'd recommend this blender if you're looking for a new benchtop blender that can wear the hat of a juicer, coffee grinder, food processor, frozen dessert maker, and dough mixer.
I did notice that a small percentage of customer reviews revealed that their blender burnt out or stopped working after a few months. This is only a small number compared to a large number of 5-star ratings, but it pays to be aware and to make sure you register for a warranty.
Top Features
- 1100 watts of power for easily crushing through produce to make whole juices
- Affordable for the capability. Not many machines priced lower than this.
- Large, 72 oz BPA-free pitcher for making multiple servings of juice
- Metal drives (some blenders have plastic or rubber drives which are less effective at driving the blades)
- Strong, hardened stainless-steel blades which 6 points for easily juicing hard and unyielding produce
- Easy controls with low, medium, high and pulse to choose from
- Designed to be versatile for juices, smoothies, grinding coffee, processing dry foods, mixing dough and even heating soups
- Comes with a tamper for easily incorporating ingredients as the blender runs
- Comes with a brush for thorough cleaning to get every little juice pulp particle
#2 Affordable: Ninja Professional Countertop Blender BL610
This is one of the Ninja empire's more affordable, simpler models. It is a benchtop blender with 3 speeds and a pulse function. It has been chosen for this line-up because of the "total crushing blades" which span the pitcher vertically, ensuring all ingredients are pulverized into a juicy consistency. The wattage is high, clocking in at 1000, the pitcher is generous at 72 oz so you can make lots of juice in one go.
Top Features
- 1000 watts for smoothly blitzing all kinds of produce and ice for whole juices
- "Total crushing" blades designed for ultimate blending power and chunk-free juices and smoothies
- Large 72 oz pitcher for making lots of servings of juice
- Low, medium, high and pulse buttons for controlling consistency and achieving a powerful blend for hard ingredients
- Versatile: can make frozen drinks as well as smoothies and juices
- Affordable
Small Portable Options
These blenders might not be the most powerful or versatile blenders in the world. However, they are small enough for packing away on your travels or commutes, and powerful enough to make a decent juice.
#1 Portable: Chulux Personal Blender and Coffee Grinder
A lesser-known bullet/personal blender with some very powerful features. It has been chosen for this section because it is small and compact enough to be packed away into a suitcase or bag, or taken to and from work.
You get two spill-proof lids and a flip-top lid for sipping on the go. It comes with two different sets of blades, and one has been designed especially for turning fruits and veggies into juices and drinks. (The other is for chopping veggies/herbs and grinding dry foods such as coffee).
It would also be great for small apartments or kitchenettes where space is sparse and juice-making is regular. Great power, great size, well-made and affordable.
Top Features
- 1000 watt motor for powering through fruits and veggies to make whole juice
- Comes with 2 blades, one for juicing/smoothies (6 blades) and one for chopping and grinding (2 blades)
- Comes with 2 cups, a little one for grinding and chopping (i.e. nuts or coffee) and a bigger one for juices and smoothies
- Well made and durable (base is made from die-cast aluminum)
- Dishwasher-safe parts (or just rinse them out and leave to dry if you're traveling or don't have a dishwasher handy)
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So, this bullet blender is quite clearly "inspired by" the Nutri Ninja Auto iQ (BL482), right down to the naming and placement of the control buttons. In fact, they use the Nutri Ninja blender as the "other brand" comparison, so it's not like they're subtle.
Anyway, the reason the Aicok model has been chosen is for its strong motor (1200 watts) and a thorough, 6-prong blade. Also, it is small and compact enough to be packed away in a suitcase, bag or car for traveling and commuting. According to some happy customers, the blending power is awesome and it's their go-to appliance for making whole juices.
Top Features
- 1200 watt motor for blasting through fresh produce to make whole juice
- Strong, 6-prong blade designed for ultra blending
- "Blend", "ultra blend" and "pulse buttons" for one-touch, automatic juice blending
Conclusion
I'll go ahead and say that I totally support your decision to purchase a blender for juicing purposes. Whole juices which are a little pulpier and perhaps a little more "rustic" than juices made from a juicer are yummy and nutritious. By keeping all the pulpy, tougher stuff in the juice you're keeping a lot of the fiber. And also, I love a multi-tasking, space-saving appliance purchase so I think it's a smart choice.
Which one to choose? That depends on your budget, your kitchen space and how much juice you want to make at a time. If I had to pick just one for the ultimate choice, I would go for the span. Why? Because it's versatile, hardy and affordable. It whips up juices as well as making desserts and grinding coffee beans.
However, if you already have a benchtop blender and you need a littler model purely for juices, then I'd go for a speedy bullet-style blender like the NutriBullet RX.
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